October 17, 2025

Panaji witnessed a legal drama unfold as the Bombay High Court sharply pointed out a “gross error” and “leniency” by the trial court in the notorious 2009 Siridao gang war case. Zenito Cardozo, accused of murder under IPC Section 302 in the chargesheet, was surprisingly charged with a much lighter crime, culpable homicide under IPC Section 304, and was convicted in 2016. Justice Bharati Dangre did not hold back, calling this move an “erroneous approach.” The court stated, “The whole approach of the trial judge is highly inappropriate.” The HC stressed that since two people lost their lives in the violent clash, the charge should have been murder, not something less severe. Despite this serious misstep, the High Court chose to uphold Cardozo’s sentence of three years in jail, mentioning that “the appellant has been in fact shown much leniency.” This means the court felt Cardozo's punishment was already lighter than deserved but wouldn't change it now, citing the mistake couldn't be corrected at this stage. What happened back in 2009? Two rival gangs exploded into violence with glass bottles and knives. Santosh Kalel of the Mirand gang died instantly at Zuarinagar, while Johnny Fernandes of Santa Cruz tragically passed away later at the GMC hospital. The same court also backed the convictions of Prasad Kubal and Sachin Padgaonkar — members of the rival gang — who had tried to murder Cardozo during the same fight. However, the trial court only punished them for voluntarily causing grievous hurt and acquitted them of attempted murder. The High Court called this decision too soft, noting that “Zenito was mercilessly assaulted” and that the injuries weren’t justified as self-defense because the attackers didn’t get injured themselves. Top legal minds backed the case: Senior advocate S D Lotlikar, with colleagues Arun Bras De Sa, Mark Valadares, and Sahil Sardessai, represented Cardozo. Advocates Rohan Desai, Arya Parrikar, and Ashwini Bandekar stood for Padgaonkar and Kubal. Additional public prosecutor Pravin Faldessai fought for the state in all three appeals. In the end, the Bombay High Court’s fiery words highlight how justice can slip when courts take the easier path. The Siridao gang war case serves as a reminder that serious crimes demand serious attention — and less leniency when lives have been lost.

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Tags: Bombay high court, Siridao gang war, Zenito cardozo, Murder charge, Leniency, Trial court error,